"I Know What You Did Last Summer" A Look Back

Victims are piling up faster than the aptly named croakers in the picturesque little fishing village of Southport, N.C., but what's really brain dead there is the police force.

Though a killer attired in foul weather gear like a Gloucester seafarer off a package of frozen fish sticks has been gutting some of the local youth with a baling hook, their parents, employers and landlords apparently don't miss them enough to notify the police, who don't go to work until the final moments.


This isn't real life. It's the Grand Guignol of ''I Know What You Did Last Summer,'' laying its claim to succeed ''Scream'' as a high-grossing, blood-drenched date-night crowd-pleaser.

And why shouldn't it? Once again, the screenwriter is Kevin Williamson, working from a novel by Lois Duncan about four teen-agers haunted by a secret: their decision to dispose of the body hit by their BMW after a beauty contest on the night of Southport's Fourth of July Croaker Festival. Though it flies in the face of credibility and becomes downright silly by its end, ''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' knows its way around the rules of the popular horror-film genre: the prefiguring ghost story around the campfire, the teen-age sex that insures murder, the spooky killer, plenty of steamy shower rooms and crab vats, pop-up bodies, references to other films and television and an ending that sets the gurney for as many sequels as the public can stomach.

The teen-agers involved in the accident that touches off the bloodletting include the bright, college-bound Julie James (Jennifer Love Hewitt), who is the most reluctant of the four to vow to take to the grave the secret of what happened on the way back from Dawson's Beach. That night, her companions were her best friend, Helen Shivers (Sarah Michelle Gellar), who won the beauty contest; her boyfriend, Barry Cox (Ryan Phillippe), the belligerent, upper-class, alcoholic star athlete, and Ray Bronson (Freddie Prinze Jr.), the blue-collar fellow who is Julie's sweetheart.

When the next summer rolls around, a nerve-racked Julie returns to Southport to find the letter that gives the film its title and sets the four conspirators to fighting among themselves before they unite to try to evade and identify the stalker seeking bloody vengeance.

the director, respects the conventions of the genre. He devotes time to establishing the characters, spaces out the surprises and provides knowing aficionados with time to relish parental indifference and the remote old house where the gaunt sister (Anne Heche) of a pivotal character roams with a bloody knife.by lawrence van gelder

Remake Of "Fright Night"

Fright Night a classic vampire tale and

Hollywood saw fit to remake it and the very first review of the film has hit the web via Killerfilm. Wondering if the Fright Night remake will suck? Well you are about to find out. Read on if you want to know, or head elsewhere now.

What Fright Night got right in 1985 was everything. For every horror nut who grew up on the film, Charley Brewster was us. He spent his nights watching scary movies to the wee hours of the morning. School was tough and dating was migraine-inducing, but watching various monsters and beasts made everything right with the world. That is what made us happy, and to the day – it still does. The script was an homage to Rear Window and The Boy Who Cried Wolf with a dose of that planet 80′s free spirit.

FrightNight 3D, more like unnecessary post-conversion 3D, is in such a hurry that it forgets to tell any kind of story. There is absolute zero character development as the cardboard actors just go through the motion and it’s painful. The neighborhood feels like a leftover set from the The Stepfather, as opposed a real home on a real block. Roddy McDowell was the backbone of the original and played like a father figure to Charley.

Now he is just a boozing womanizer who doesn’t come to the rescue and is just an afterthought. Chris Sarandon does make a cameo, but suffers a bite to the jugular from CG-faced Colin Farrell (who is solo, no Billy Cole) and is spared the misery that I couldn’t get away from.

Scream 4

The horror series that reignited the genre and grossed more than $500 Million worldwide is back! From Kevin Williamson, creator of the original SCREAM trilogy, the new film sees the return of cast members Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette, along with a group of new stars, who can hopefully stay alive long enough to figure out the new rules to this one-of-a-kind horror franchise.

“SCREAM has been such an important part of Dimension’s history, and I look forward to continuing the franchise,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman The Weinstein Company. “I’ve worked with Kevin Williamson and Wes Craven on so many films at Dimension and hope to continue our successful collaboration.”

Wes Craven added, "I am delighted to accept Bob Weinstein's offer to take the reins on a whole new chapter in SCREAM history. Working with Courteney, David and Neve was a blast ten years ago and I'm sure it will be again. And I can't wait to find the talent that will bring new blood to the screen as well. Kevin is right on his game with the new script - the characters and story crackle with energy and originality - to say nothing of some of the most hair-raising scares I've seen in a script since... well, since the original SCREAM series. Let me at it."

Classic Villain "The Reaper" Jeepers Creepers

A brother and sister driving home for spring break encounter a flesh-eating creature in the isolated countryside that is on the last day of its ritualistic eating spree.

Jeepers Creepers takes a welcome approach back to the old days of monster movies. It was this premise and presentation that made Jeepers Creepers 1 of my all time favorite films to watch. It also seems to have put actors Gina Philips and Justin Long on the map with their fantastic complimenting performance per brother and sister.

The film’s intro instantly focuses on the level of relationship that the 2 share with a back story of where they are coming from. An urban legend is planted in discussion with a mystery menacing vehicle not far behind. This road threat is only the begiining to the twist of events that are about to play out. Gina Philips stars as Patricia ‘Trish’ Jenner, the snappy sister who is getting over a relationship gone sour. Justin Long is her brother Darry Jenner returning home from college break. The 2 have opted for the scenic route which takes them thru the rural parts of the countryside. This countryside is also home to highway 9 which legend has it “claimed 2 victims” who to this day have gone missing.

The road trip is suddenly turned into a adventure when a extremely large menacing truck starts to play road games with them. Though it’s the passing of an old church that they spot the driver dumping dead bodies into a pipe that really ramps their interest. The film progresses into elevated levels of terror as they end up confronting this monster-menace of a stranger. The stranger is known by his pseudo villain name of “The Creeper” played by actor Jonathan Breck. “The Creeper” has an agenda and a mission that directly effects the 2 travelers. “Once he gets your scent, he’ll follow you to the ends of the earth”. “The Creeper” provides an instant villain with new surprises around every corner. His supernatural associations makes him an interesting mythical entity that seems to exist within the Jeepers Creepers world. Oh ya, the song “Jeepers Creepers” plays when trouble is brewing….take note

To date I believe I have seen this film 10 times. My attraction to this movie is the gradual build up of character on “The Creeper” character who transforms several times over the course of the movie. This transformation comes simple in a lack of full exposure that the director gives to us in portions. These portions being the redneck, the dirty old man, the monster, the villain and then at last the full fledged demon. In short we don’t get the full picture really all at once in explanation or visuals. We barely even know the origin of this thing which is hinted at thru script dialog. The 2nd film, tends to fill in those missing pieces a bit more, but there is something to be said for “lack of” and implication.

The movie was initially received with great response and a theatre showing .Jeepers actually exceeded its budget in returns by 49 million which made it a winner to “United Artists”, the studio behind it. Though somewhere along the line, some ass hole reviewer started to pick it apart and over criticize the film creating a wave of “it’s not cool to like “Jeepers Creepers” in motion. My research, determined that the film has a cult following that agree on its certain brilliance.

I say, stick to your gut instinct, as by my interests, this is not only a great film but an iconic addition to the genre. “The Creeper” should have been a icon it itself, though less than favorable reviews on its sequel sort of killed it’s motion. Director Victor Salva had his bases lined up in the original making it a classic by its own right. It follows the directorial “direction” of great filmmaking using a constant progression of events and tension culminating into it’s ultimate final confrontation.

Those who saw the film were not as pleased with its ending, which to me was more of an add on than a resolve. Though for those who might attempt to analyze it tighter would find that it provides a base for sequel, a follow up to the earlier foreshadow and a revolve on the main character of Darry Jenner. Even in it’s nastiness, there is a darker sense of humor left to consume as the titles roll by. Perhaps not the ending you were looking for, but original and unique. Upon review, a 3rd film has been announced that is currently under production.

Fun Facts – IMDB
Gina Philips (Trish) and Justin Long (Darry) were not allowed to meet Jonathan Breck before filming (in order to get a true reaction from them when they actually did see him with his full costume and makeup), nor did they see the BEATNGU truck before the opening scene was shot. When Philips first saw the truck, she said something to the effect of: “Is that the truck? Jeepers, that’s creepy.”

The original title was “Here comes the Boogeyman”.

At the time of its release Jeepers Creepers was the highest grossing film to ever be released during Labor Day weekend. The record would subsequently be broken by its own sequel,

The Exorcist Re Master Blu-ray

When a 12-year old girl is possessed by demons, a young priest takes it upon himself to selflessly save her at the behest of her famous movie-star mother.

The Exorcist Blu-ray Review
Warner is plotting to take over the world, one magnificent catalog release at a time...
Reviewed by Kenneth Brown, October 5, 2010

If the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, the greatest trick The Exorcist ever pulled was convincing audiences he just might. Can any film that's risen in its wake say the same? It never ceases to amaze me that some thirty-seven years after its original theatrical release, horror filmmakers are still desperately chasing director William Friedkin and writer William Peter Blatty's legacy, each one failing to deliver a more startling depiction of evil incarnate. Many have tried. To their credit, a small but frightening handful have even brushed greatness. But while these scant few have chipped away at The Exorcist in one regard or another -- be it storytelling, special effects, atmosphere, shock value or any one of the elusive elements that transform a horror film into a horror classic -- it's tough to name a single standout from the last four decades that bests Friedkin and Blatty's macabre masterpiece on every front. Owen Roizman's deceptively simple, utterly haunting cinematography. Steve Boeddeker's unnerving score. The film's unexpected yet flawless casting. Jason Miller's raw but restrained performance. Sweet, little Linda Blair's mangled, unholy face. Ellen Burstyn's unhinged terror. Blatty's searing screenplay. Pazuzu and its ungodly mindgames. Friedkin's sharp eye and steady hand at the helm. Ten Academy Award nominations... make no mistake, The Exorcist may just be a perfect genre storm.




The following is primarily a review of Friedkin's theatrical cut; in my opinion, the superior version of the film.



It all begins with one of the classiest, creepiest openings to ever launch a horror film. Archaeologist and veteran Catholic priest, Father Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow), examines a small stone carving in Iraq before locking eyes with a larger statue; a sneering, animalistic totem whose insidious face all but taunts the aging man. Dissonant music ascends to a feverish pitch, ravenous dogs battle to the death and The Exorcist, without much pomp or circumstance, announces its arrival. Elsewhere, in Georgetown, an actress named Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn) grows increasingly concerned as her twelve-year-old daughter Regan (Linda Blair) undergoes a series of strange behavioral changes. Seizures, outbursts and inhuman developments leave the girl's doctors and psychiatrists baffled, unable to provide her mother with a viable physical or psychological diagnosis. When a personal friend, a grown man no less, is found dead outside of their home, Chris seeks advice from a dramatically different source: a nearby church. Its priest, Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), agrees to visit the MacNeil household and observe Regan. What he finds though -- a disheveled girl tortured by mysterious forces, claiming to be Satan himself -- leaves Karras reeling in doubt. Soon thereafter, the church orders an exorcism, Father Merrin flies in to perform the ritual, Karras struggles to reconcile his beleaguered faith and a showdown of the cinematic ages ensues.

But how does one begin to dissect the many, many elements that make The Exorcist everything it is? Why does it continue to resonate all these years later? How, in an age of CG-magic and seamless practical effects, can a horror flick from the early '70s leave such lasting scars? From the birth of Blatty's vicious soul-bender to the culmination of Friedkin's disturbing, stomach-churning vision, it really all comes down to one thing: the film's methodical approach to what might otherwise be a derivative, schlocky tale of good versus evil. Blatty taps into the mundane aspects of everyday life and, like every great horror maestro before and after him, places a small group of flawed but relatable protagonists into truly terrifying circumstances; unspeakable horrors that bend and break anyone and everyone unfortunate enough to be caught in Evil's snare. His story isn't just about a distraught mother and her possessed child; it's about a man struggling with a crisis of faith, a wise sage's willingness to reenter the veritable lion's den and the inexplicable victimization of an innocent. Blatty takes the time to examine Chris's unyielding love and powerless desperation, Karras's dance with his own personal devils and Merrin's exhaustion at the end of a long and eventful career. Each emotion is terribly familiar, each reaction genuine; each development organic, each revelation a shock to the system. All the while, Blatty pits mother, daughter and men of the cloth against an ancient entity so awful, so immoral, so unabashedly obscene that it seems unstoppable. Blatty didn't just create one of cinema's most vile villains, he pitted his bristling beastie against believable human beings.

Friedkin, in turn, presents The Exorcist without unnecessary flash or spectacle. Regan's rotating head and projectile vomit may stick in audiences' minds, but the film's gory details are in short supply compared to its study of Miller and Burstyn's authentic reactions to the girl's torment. His camera lingers on their faces far more than it does on Regan's physical torment; his eye is drawn to the quaint conversations and meaningful bonds that connect Blatty's characters to the real world rather than the pulpy nature of the horrors that await them; his actors are given leave to dig as deep as they can and serve up their souls for all to see. The result? Miller, Burstyn, von Sydow and Blair invest every fiber of their being into their performances, making The Exorcist a nuanced multi-character study, a heart-wrenching drama, an intense supernatural thriller and a gruesome, altogether grim horror film. Those who believe in demons and their hellish ilk will find Friedkin's classic to be more paralyzing than they probably care to admit. Even those who scoff at the mere mention of fallen angels will feel the hair on the back of their necks creeping across their skin. Faith isn't required, it's rattled; suspension of disbelief isn't necessary, it's inevitable. Modern filmfans may be yanked out of the experience from time to time -- not every special effect that slithers into view is as petrifying in 2010 as it was to trembling cinephiles in 1973 -- but Friedkin nevertheless proves himself a timeless talent and The Exorcist proves itself a timeless tour de force.

High definition enthusiasts who pick up the Blu-ray edition of The Exorcist will be treated to two versions of the film: a 132-minute Extended Director's Cut and Friedkin's 122-minute Original Theatrical Cut (each one presented on its own BD-50 disc). Both are exceptional as far as I'm concerned, but the original still stands as the definitive version in my eyes. The extended cut features a number of notable changes -- some worthwhile, some less inspired -- but the bulk of the additions and extensions are more distracting than anything else. Only one reintegrated scene (involving a conversation between Karras and Merrick outside of Regan's bedroom) elevates the film, and even then, it only shoves an already underlying theme into the spotlight. But I'm sure there are plenty of people who adore Friedkin's more recent cut for equally valid reasons. Regardless of which version of The Exorcist you prefer, Warner's 2-disc Blu-ray release is a godsend. Two versions of the film, two incredible AV presentations and a slew of special features. I have a feeling we won't be seeing many complaints about this one popping up in the forum.



The Exorcist Blu-ray, Video Quality



My gratitude to Warner Home Video for presenting this high definition Blu-ray, which was color-timed by the cinematographer Owen Roizman and myself and represents the very best print ever made of 'The Exorcist.' Enjoy!

So writes William Friedkin in a gushing insert included with Warner's striking Blu-ray release of The Exorcist. Presented via two separate, comparably restored and remastered 1080p/VC-1 transfers (each version of the film has been granted its own BD-50 disc), Friedkin and Blatty's horror classic, be it the director's extended or theatrical cut, has never looked better. Roizman's atmospheric photography is teeming with stunning primaries, ominous shadows, stark whites and lifelike skintones. A few faces are slightly flushed (mainly during the first twenty-five minutes of the film) and blacks succumb to minor crush and inconsistent contrast leveling during the final showdown sequence, but the whole of both cuts rise above such fleeting shortcomings to deliver a fit and faithful rendering of each. Moreover, detail is nothing short of stunning, particularly for a film rapidly approaching its fortieth birthday. Fine textures are surprisingly well resolved, edges are crisp and clean (with only a hint of intermittent ringing), many closeups and midrange shots look fantastic, and delineation, though a tad problematic at times, is true to its aging source. I can't tell you how often I shook my head in disbelief. Not at any glaring distraction, mind you, but at the near-pristine quality of the print, the clarity of some of the thirty-seven-year old scenes and the disarming beauty of the transfers' most remarkable shots. Yes, softness abounds (as it does in most any film from the era), and yes, grain-haters will be aghast at the at-times uneven, at-times aggressive grain apparent throughout both presentations. But purists and diehard videophiles will cheer. Edge enhancement has only been employed here and there, and judiciously at that; DNR clearly isn't an overriding issue; artifacting and banding rarely make an appearance (although the film's opening sunrise does suffer from faint banding and a handful of establishing shots are home to some negligible digital clutter); significant print damage has all but been eliminated; and glaring anomalies -- macroblocking, aliasing, aberrant noise and the like -- aren't a factor.

Warner delivers yet again as The Exorcist, gristly grain and all, emerges as another exceedingly faithful, lovingly restored and deftly remastered Blu-ray presentation in the studio's march toward catalog dominance.



The Exorcist Blu-ray, Audio Quality



The Exorcist also arrives with two full-fledged lossless audio mixes in tow -- a DTS-HD Master Audio 6.1 surround track on the Extended Director's Cut and a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track on the film's Original Theatrical Cut -- both of which are quite good. (Again, particularly for a thirty-seven-year old catalog title.) Dialogue, though sometimes challenged by inherent environmental noise and reasonable hiss, is clean, clear and neatly prioritized. Several lines are buried beneath the ensuing demonic chaos, sure, but it rarely affects the overall experience. The LFE channel, meanwhile, doesn't miss a single opportunity to impress, all but assaulting the soundstage with powerful thooms, room-splitting crashes and guttural groans. The rear speakers make their presence known as well, transforming Regan's possession into an all-too-convincing 360-degree nightmare. Ambience, both quiet and forceful, skitters from channel to channel, pans are unnervingly smooth, directionality is eerily precise (and often caught me off guard), acoustics are believable and Steve Boeddeker's score inhabits the entire experience. That being said, the film's smartly crafted sound effects range from tinny to hollow, muffled to muddy, effective to strong, and natural to realistic. I know, I know. Certain considerations should probably be made for a film of its age, and most of the effects are spot on, but too many misfired clangs and bangs will strike casual listeners as stagey and a bit weak-in-the-knees. By no means should that scare filmfans away -- any quote-unquote mishap present in the mixes is most likely attributable to the condition of the original elements -- as even the most hard-hearted audiophiles will be thoroughly pleased.

Apollo 18 Thoughts

its The Blair Witch Project on the moon, Apollo 18 takes the found footage horror genre into outer space. story of a lost NASA mission hidden from the public for nearly 30 years, Apollo 18 somehow manages to seem fresh and exciting even as it recycles the edgy tensions of the Blair Witch and Paranormal Activity.

From official account, the Apollo 18 mission never happened. However, footage has somehow popped up on a conspiracy obsessed website and it reveals footage shot by three astronauts of a mission to the moon gone horribly wrong. In the course of 85 minutes we will watch what begins as any other mission to the moon, as it becomes a slowly unfolding tragedy.

The mission goes off without a hitch, from launch to the landing of two astronauts on the lunar surface as a third circles the moon waiting to drive everyone back to earth. Once on the moon however, strange things begin to happen. First, communications breakdown between the moon lander and NASA.


Then, in a shocking and unexpected twist, the astronauts find that they are not alone on the moon; another country has recently been on the moon and they left behind terror in their wake. I won’t spoil the surprise as many other critics already have; I will only say that there is blood and plenty of it on the moon.

Apollo 18 was directed by the ingenious Spanish director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego who makes clever use of ancient camera technology, the film is set in 1974, to limit what we can see and reinforce the film’s found footage premise. The cameras that the astronauts were instructed to plant on the moon give us static images that when lingered on require audience members to search the screen for clues in what becomes a tense search for signs of life.

Actors Warren Christie and Lloyd Owen are cleverly cast as the terrified and confused astronauts. Both actors are vaguely recognizable but are not so well known that they take you out of what is supposed to be an assemblage of found footage edited into ‘documentary’ form. Cast Matt Damon as one of the astronauts and the movie-ness would undermine the notion of found footage.

Apollo 18 doesn’t break any new ground but the film is well shot, the scares arrive in a strong rhythm keeping the audience in a state of perpetual tension and the finale leaves no questions about the astronauts’ fates. Most importantly, Apollo 18 has one moment, one big scare, that will elicit more than a few terrified shrieks.

What Horror Movie Is your Favorite?

This is definitely a tough one I know. Even for me there are so many horror movies to choose from. But for me one movie stands a little taller than them all in my eyes and that the Original "HALLOWEEN”. Personally it’s such a rare movie.

First thing is that if you never noticed there is so little blood in the movie. Whereas now a days and the copy cat movies that followed Halloween used tons of blood to scare you and creep you out. John Carpenter instead used the creepy music and the element of surprise to get you Jumping out of your seat. Even love the funny flaws through the movie. Like Jamie Lee Curtis is walking home from school one scene its dry out and next scene ground is soaking wet. Again every movie has there screw up but all in all my favorite horror movie what is yours?